PROCEDURE load_picture (
   thefile   VARCHAR2) AS
   f_lob        BFILE;
   b_lob        BLOB;
   image_name   VARCHAR2 (30);
   mime_type    VARCHAR2 (30);
   dot_pos      NUMBER;
BEGIN
   dot_pos     := INSTR (thefile, '.');
   image_name  := filename;   --SUBSTR(thefile,1,dot_pos-1);
   mime_type   := 'image/' || SUBSTR (thefile, dot_pos + 1, length (thefile) );

   INSERT INTO myimages
        values (image_name,
                mime_type,
                empty_blob () )
        RETURN content
          INTO b_lob;

   f_lob       := BFILENAME ('SOURCE_DIR', thefile);
   dbms_lob.fileopen (f_lob, dbms_lob.file_readonly);
   dbms_lob.loadfromfile (b_lob, f_lob, dbms_lob.getlength (f_lob) );
   dbms_lob.fileclose (f_lob);
end;